Kids Holiday Activities; Staying Indoors

What happens when the weather is bad?

Being a resident of the UK; the sun does not always shine in the summer. Currently, we are in the midst of torrential thunderstorms and my children have spent the whole day inside. However, this gives me the opportunity to do what I do best; get creative.

I have always been more of a creative person as opposed to sports and games. My summer holidays as a child involved lots of drawing, making things and dancing around my bedroom. I joke that I have my ‘second childhood’ with my children. Many indoor activities centre around being creative and inventive. Creative play encourages your children to see the world differently and become open-minded.

Here is my list of thirty activities you can do indoors. If you missed my previous post which lists outdoor activities, then you can find it here.

Indoor fun

1) Get your child to draw a picture on a big sheet of paper and once it is done make up a story with your child about the picture.
2) Pom pom straw racing. Take some washi tape and tape a track on the floor. Use the straw to blow the pom pom around the track.
3) Make a rocket model and paint it. Just use a bottle, toilet rolls and paper to cover it.
4) Play some board games or card games. I love playing snap.
5) Play pairs. Print pictures of the family off and make sure you have two of each picture. Lay them out randomly on the floor face down. Take it in turns to try and match a pair.
6) Biscuit decorating. All you need are digestive biscuits, icing sugar and assorted sweets to decorate.
7) Homemade biscuits cut into shapes with a cookie cutter.
8) Create a scrapbook. Print off photos and stick them in a book using stickers and other craft items to decorate.
9) Make a fort or den in the living room.
10) Create a stunt track for small cars with cardboard.
11) Do some face painting
12) Create a marble maze game with Lego.
13) Use up wool making friendship bracelets or finger knit
14) Make puppets and put on a puppet show.
15) Decorate stones using paints or felt tips
16) Make some interesting cheese on toast by using a cutie cutter to cut out the bread. Spread some tomato paste/sauce on them and sprinkle cheese on top.
17) Do a wax resist painting. Use a white or light crayon to draw a picture and then paint over it to reveal it.
18) Use tape to create different shapes on the floor then give your child instructions like ‘hop to the square’ and keep carrying on the instructions.
19) Balloon Races. You can either waddle with the balloon between your legs or you can do balloon ‘keep them ups’ counting how many taps they can keep the balloon in the air for.
20) Balloon tennis using bug swatters.
21) Tape numerous lines on the floor. Get your child to do different challenges; pin step along it, hop down it, jump races.
22) Do some kids yoga. Cosmic kids have great videos you can use for your children.
23) Have a dance-off. You can freestyle or copy just dance videos on YouTube.
24) Make pipe cleaner models
25) Use a clothes peg, some pom poms and a cup and get them to get all the pom poms into the cup.
26) Make musical instruments out of junk. Use bottles and fill them with pasta, rice, beads or lentils. Make an elastic band guitar with a box and elastic bands.
27) Make jewellery with cut up straws and thread. Anything with a hole can be used like dried pasta.
28) Make straw rockets.
29) Had fun with play dough. You can easily make your own using flour, salt, water and food colouring. You could even add glitter if you like.
30) Press flowers using a flower press or books and create a picture with them.

Have you got any suggestions for activities that can occupy the children when they have to be indoors? I would love new suggestions for activities so feel free to make your suggestions in the comments below.